January 22, 2009

Fairmont offers comfortable view of Obama inauguration

Downtown San Jose’s Fairmont Hotel opened its comfortable lobby to those wishing to view Barack Obama’s swearing-in ceremony in the comfortable warmth of the hotel’s grand Lobby Lounge. Outfitted with five large TV screens, there was standing-room only by 9 a.m. when Obama began his first speech as the country’s 44th president. Cheers and clapping accompanied Obama’s entrance and were scattered throughout the ceremony and he received a standing ovation from the crowd at the end of his speech. The free viewing also offered breakfast for sale. Happy hour was moved up to nearly 11 a.m. East Coast time with an offering of special inaugural drinks including the Bailout, Hockey Mom, Lame Duck, Blackberry, Economic Stimulus, The Yes We Can!!, Son of a Bush and the Lumbering Elephant. There was also the WMD, but you had to order it to find out if they really had it.

—Photo by Kymberli Brady